1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a microwave oven with a bread toaster.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, microwave ovens are cooking appliances for heating an object by the application of microwaves. Construction of the microwave oven will now be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the microwave oven includes generally a cavity 2 in which an object or food is heated by microwaves. The cavity is formed in an interior of a cavity assembly 1. The cavity 2 is closed and opened by the cavity door 4. A component chamber 10 that accommodates several electrical equipment components for generating microwaves is positioned close to the cavity 2 and is covered by an outer case 6. The electrical equipment includes a magnetron 12 for generating microwaves, a high-voltage transformer 14 for supplying a high voltage to the magnetron 12, and a fan 16 for producing air flow in the cavity 2 to cool the heated electrical equipment.
Since the microwave oven heats the cooking object by means of microwaves, as shown in FIG. 1, it is improper to toast bread. Accordingly, microwave ovens capable of toasting bread, as well as cooking or heating the cooking object by means of microwaves have been developed.
As one example, a microwave oven having a toasting function is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1991-271630. According to the publication, the microwave oven includes a toaster for toasting a piece of bread on an upper side of an outer case thereof. Since a separate space for accommodating the bread is required on the upper portion of the cavity, the dimension of the microwave oven assembly has to be increased as a whole. Such the construction has a disadvantage of swimming against the current of the times, which requires a compactness, as well as diversification of function.